Consulting residents in Lewisham & Brent; will you help new knowledge creation? Campaign for a national landlord register

The best news is that Renters’ Rights London has successfully secured continuation funding from Nationwide Foundation. This means that we can continue our work; helping renters to speak up for their rights, making sure that politicians, officers, and landlords pay attention. Because a privately rented room, flat or house is not all about a landlord’s right to make a profit, it’s about our right to adequate housing.

More good news from Brent and from Lewisham. Both councils are working to expand property licensing regimes in those boroughs, to ensure that decent standards of accommodation are more widely met. To achieve that same objective nationwide, Generation Rent are campaigning for a national landlords’ register—there’s a link to the petition below.

Brent and Lewisham: consulting on extending property licensing

In accordance with the law of the land, every London borough licenses houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) occupied by 5 or more people who are not all related. But we understand property licensing to be a good way for councils to work towards ensuring that standards are met in all rented homes. We firmly believe that licensing works to

improve property standards and security
help renters to feel safe and secure in their homes
crack down on bad and criminal landlords
protect renters from illegal evictions and
to educate landlords, raising their professionalism

Brent

Brent council already operates an Additional Licensing scheme for HMOs occupied by fewer than five people, as well as two Selective Licensing schemes. Since, 2014, there has also been a Selective Licensing regime in Harlesden, Willesden, and Wembley Central electoral Wards. Because this scheme expires at the end of 2019, one part of the consultation is around continuing licensing there for another five years.

In 2018, Brent introduced Additional Licensing to Dudden Hill, Kensal Green, Kilburn, Mapesbury and Queens Park electoral Wards. If you live there, whether it’s shared or self-contained, a flat or a house, your home should be licensed by the council.

Now, Brent Council wishes to extend Selective Licensing to Alperton, Barnhill, Brondesbury Park, Fryent, Northwick Park, Preston, Queensbury, Sudbury, Tokyngton (excluding Wembley Park) and Welsh Harp electoral Wards. Wherever you live in the London Borough of Brent, you are invited to contribute a response to the consultation. If you can’t do that, do please let us know of any evidence or information you would like Renters’ Rights London to include in our response?

Lewisham

There is an additional licensing scheme which applies to flatshares or HMOs where three or more people live above shops or other commercial premises. Now, Lewisham Council is consulting on the merits of extending additional licensing to cover all HMOs in the borough. That would include those in purpose-built blocks with more than three flats, which are currently excluded from mandatory licensing.

If responses to this consultation support the case, Lewisham Council will seek permission from the Secretary of State to license all privately rented homes in the borough. Contribute a response to the consultation, for a chance of winning one of ten £25 Love2Shop vouchers. If you can’t do that, please contact us with any information you’d like to Renters’ Rights London to include in our response.

Will You Help To Create New Knowledge?

How does living in a a shared house or flat affect our eating habits? Eleanor Soames, who is working towards her MSc in International Planning and Development, is undertaking research to find out. If you are between 20 and 35 years of age (please don’t shoot the messenger!) live in an HMO, flat-share or house-share, Eleanor would be grateful to hear from you.You can contact Eleanor via email or track her down on twitter @EleanorSoames, for more details. If you know anyone else who might be interested in taking part, please do spread the word?

Brighid Sammon is researching the changing nature of private rental housing in London, most specifically in the boroughs of Hackney & Southwark, for her thesis. If you rent a home in Lambeth or Southwark, and are willing to speak to her for 30 to 45 minutes, do please contact Brighid.

Campaign for a National Landlord Register

While councils like Brent and Lewisham are doing their best to ensure our right to adequate housing, the ideal would surely be a national register of landlords. Advice4Renters (in Brent) have been speaking about this for years. A national register would help local authorities to identify and prosecute criminal landlords, as well as protecting renters from exploitation and improving the reputation of law-abiding landlords. Our friends at Generation Rent are petitioning the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
Please sign the petition